Long before the world witnessed rivalries like India vs Pakistan or Australia vs New Zealand, the Ashes had already established itself as cricket’s oldest and most iconic contest. Even as new rivalries emerged over time, the Australia–England showdown in the Ashes continues to stand tall as the pinnacle of the sport’s competitive spirit

History of the Rivalry, Ritual of the Ashes

“In affectionate remembrance of English cricket which died at The Oval … The body will be cremated and the Ashes taken to Australia.”

Sporting Times wrote a mocking obituary when in 1882, England lost their first test at home against their arch enemy Australia.

Ashes Obituary written in 1882 : Source X

On 29^th August, Australia beat England at the Oval which sparked unprecedented anger and disappointment amongst the English cricket fan and the press.

The satirical obituary resonated deeply, giving birth to the term ‘The Ashes’, a name that would define future encounters between England and Australia and become an enduring part of cricketing folklore.

Following their 1882 defeat, the England team embarked on a tour of Australia determined to reclaim their pride and settle the score on Australian soil. They succeeded, winning the three-match series. As a symbolic gesture, England captain Ivo Bligh was presented with a small terracotta urn—believed to contain the Ashes of a bail—which came to represent ‘The Ashes’. The urn was later bequeathed to the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) and is now housed at Lord’s Cricket Ground in London.

While today, the Ashes trophy has changed, the trophy is still shaped as an urn. The original urn remains housed in the MCC Museum.

The Rivalry between the two countries in cricket normally happens due to geopolitical reasons or being neighbours, but the Ashes rivalry was born on the bruised ego of a test loss at the Oval.

Some Notable Series – The Ashes 

 The Bodyline Series 1932-33

The infamous Bodyline series from England’s Douglas Jardine to counter the run machine Sir Don Bradman raised quite a few eyebrows and sparked outrage.  England bowlers targeted the batsmen’s bodies with leg-side catchers. The series, due to its tactics, severely affected the diplomatic relationship between the two countries.

The Invincible Tour, 1948

The Australian team of 1948 was a strong unit, which gave them the nickname ‘The Invincibles’. The tour was also famous for Don Bradman’s dismissal in the Final test match at the Oval. The Don failed to score just 4 runs, which could have brought his test average to 100. Instead, it remained at 99. 94. Australia, however, thrashed England with a 4-0 series win.

The ‘Ugly Australians’, 1974

By now, the Australians known for their hard play, were relentless on the field. Australians got their nickname ‘the ugly Australians’ with their sledging on the field. The team had fast bowling at their best, with Dennis Lillee and Jeff Thomson supported by the Chappel Brothers in batting.

The 1993 Ashes – ‘Ball of the Century’

The series will be remembered for one delivery bowled by Shane Warne, which bamboozled England’s Mike Gatting and clean bowled him. The delivery came to be known as ‘The Ball of the century’. Shane Warne went on to take 34 wickets in the series.

Some notable performances:

Botham’s Ashes (1981): Sir Ian Botham dragged England to a comeback from the brink.

Ben Stokes at Headingley (2019): An unbeaten 135 in one of the greatest run chases in Test history.

The Ashes: Numbers behind the rivalry

2023 Ashes Series 2-2 Series Drawn- Source X

The Last Ashes series in 2023 was a 2-2 draw; Australia retained the Ashes.

Previous past few series record

Summary

The English and Australian press are always relentless during the Ashes series. Press from both countries becomes equally critical of their teams, and this showcases the popularity of the series for both teams. No series goes by without its share of controversies and drama. The rivalry results in an emotional showdown between two passionate countries.

Holding the Ashes means holding a piece of history, a game played not just by the bat and ball but also by passionate stories, sentiments and legacy.

India – Pakistan series in the past had the reputation to be as intense as the Ashes. Lately, India has the upper hand, making recent games between the two arch rivals a one-sided affair.

The Ashes, on the other hand, have lived up to their reputation as the rivalry of the ages. Ashes remains the purest, most historic, and consistently intense rivalry in the game.

The Ashes has been played since 1882, making it the oldest international cricket rivalry. No other rivalry has been so deeply embedded in the game’s evolution.

Ashes is played for bragging rights, tradition, and a chance to etch their name in cricketing eternity.

The popularity of the Ashes has pushed the Women’s team to also have their own Ashes series blending Tests, ODIs, and T20s.

Watch this space for our coverage of the Ashes Series 2025. Coming Soon..

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